Former Fake Becomes Grand Duke of the North

The martial arts competition took place a few days after the ball hosted by House Wirt, in an area outside of Haven to avoid causing any collateral damage. Regular people didn’t have to worry about such a thing, but this was a constant concern for Aura users due to their greater strength. This was why control and discipline was so important.

The area noted in the invitation was a field about an hour away from Haven by carriage, located near an estate owned by one of House Ritter’s vassals. The field was flat and even, with the grass cut and manicured, making it the perfect place to hold a martial arts competition. The sky was cloudless and clear, allowing the sun to shine unimpeded upon the world. It was too warm outside for my taste, but a gentle breeze helped cool me down. The smell of grass and vegetation filled the air.

When I arrived at the field, I found a crowd of young nobles lounging about. They sat underneath pavilion tents, which provided shelter and shade from the sun. The sound of their chatter reached my ears. Servants flitted about, offering refreshments. A little over half were men, while the rest were women. Like myself, they all wore sturdy and rough clothing.

A marked off area served as the arena for the martial arts competition. Two young men, both Aura Warriors, sparred inside this arena. One used a mace, while the other wielded a saber. I took a moment to study them. They were decent warriors. However, both had several bad habits that limited their potential. For some reason, they used a lot of flashy and fancy looking maneuvers. It appeared as if they cared more about showing off than actually fighting. I found this offensive.

I exited the House Kaltbrand carriage and headed towards the group of nobles. Sir Kane, my bodyguard, joined me. The carriage driver headed towards the area set aside for animals and vehicles.

Several of the young nobles noticed my approach. One stood up and headed in my direction. It was a tall and muscular young man, who reminded me a little of Prince Cornelius. He had tanned skin, fiery red hair, and piercing blue eyes. He had a trimmed beard, which made it difficult to discern his age, but I guessed he was a few years older than me at most.

Lord Kilian Ritter.

He smiled as he headed in my direction. I studied his movements. Unlike the fools currently sparring in the arena, he moved like a true warrior; efficient, with not a single wasteful movement. It appeared that Lord Kilian was skilled, and perhaps even had combat experience, though that was to be expected. There was a reason why House Ritter ruled the Grazelands to the east. House Guld had its wealth, House Galdur had its magic, while House Kaltbrand and House Ritter both had their martial prowess.

“Lord Wulfe!” Lord Kilian said in a booming voice. “You finally arrived!”

When we neared each other, Lord Kilian gave me a slight bow while I nodded to him in return.

“I greet you, Lord Kilian Ritter.” I said.

He waved off my greeting.

“Come now,” he said, waving off my greeting, “There’s no need for such formality, not at an event like this. You can call me Kilian.”

He wore a wide smile on his face. I studied him, trying to get a read on him. However, he seemed sincere and genuine. Either he was as he appeared to be, or he was better at hiding his emotions than I was at reading them. I couldn’t tell, so I decided to remain vigilant for now.

“Very well, Kilian,” I said, “You may call me Wulfe.”

Lord Kilian’s smile widened.

“Excellent!” He said, before gesturing for me to follow him. “Let me introduce you to the others.”

Lord Kilian led me to the group of nobles and introduced me to them. There were about a dozen or so of them. They all belonged to families that served or were aligned with House Ritter in some capacity or another. Most of them wore ambivalent expressions on their faces, as if they couldn’t decide what to think of me. The rest were outright hostile, though they tried to hide it as best they could. The only one who seemed happy to see me was Lord Kilian himself. Despite this, everyone remained polite and civil.

“And this is my older sister, Melitta!” Lord Kilian said, introducing me to the last person.

Lady Melitta, the heir to House Ritter, was a tall and muscular young woman. Despite her physique, she still managed to radiate feminine charm. Like her brother, she had tanned skin, red hair, and piercing blue eyes. She wore her hair short, a practical choice for an Aura user. Long hair was a potential weakness that an enemy could exploit. However, unlike her brother, Lady Melitta regarded me with a cold expression on her face.

“I greet you, Lord Wulfe Kaltbrand.” She said, giving me a slight bow.

“I greet you, Lady Melitta Ritter.” I said, nodding in return.

The temperature around us seemed to drop as we sized each other up. I made no attempt to hide my mana signature, so it was obvious to everyone around us that I was an Aura Master. However, Lady Melitta remained unfazed, even though she was just an Aura Expert. She wasn’t bluffing either. I could tell that much. Either she had supreme confidence in herself, or… Well, perhaps there was more to her than met the eye.

“Thank you for accepting my younger brother’s invitation.” Lady Melitta said. “He has wanted to meet you ever since he learned of your existence.”

Lord Kilian nodded his head so fast, I was afraid that he would sprain a muscle.

“Of course!” He said. “Lord Wulfe is the youngest person in the history of the Reichwald Empire to become an Aura Master! Not only that, but his mother is Knight Commander Bardin, the most renowned warrior on the entire continent!”

My mother’s title was now Grand Duchess Kaltbrand, or Knight Commander Kaltbrand, but I refrained from correcting Lord Kilian. Instead, I kept my eyes on Lady Melitta. Of the two Ritter siblings, she was the biggest threat here. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if it turned out that it was Lady Melitta’s idea to invite me to this martial arts competition.

“Yes, yes,” Lady Melitta said in an exasperated voice, “I know, Kilian. You’ve mentioned it several times already.” She didn’t roll her eyes, but I could tell that she wanted to. “Let us not keep Lord Wulfe standing.”

Lord Kilian started at that.

“Oh, I apologize Wulfe,” he said, speaking in a softer voice than before, “Sometimes I let my excitement get the better of me. Come sit next to me!”

He gestured to a trio of chairs, which were set up to have the best view of the arena. Two of them belonged to the Ritter siblings, while the third had been set aside for me. They were far enough away from the other seats that if we kept our voices low, the other nobles wouldn’t be able to eavesdrop on our conversation.

“Thank you, Kilian.” I said.

Together, the Ritter siblings and I took our seats. I ended up between the two of them, which I found uncomfortable. Sir Kane stood behind me. Less than a second after we sat down, a servant came by to offer us refreshments. I accepted a glass of lemonade, before turning to watch the spar that was still ongoing. The back of my head seemed to burn, as I felt the other nobles staring at me.

“Tell me, Lord Wulfe,” Lady Melitta said, speaking in a low and quiet voice. Like me, she opted for a glass of lemonade, “What do you think of those two?”

I let out a derisive snort.

“Sloppy.” I said, speaking at the same volume. “While they look impressive, they would last seconds at most in a real fight.”

Lady Melitta nodded.

“Agreed,” she said, “There are always fools who care more about appearances than actual skill.”

We shared a look. While the two of us were enemies, or at least rivals, at least we had one thing we could agree on.

“Hey!” Lord Kilian said. He somehow managed to sound boisterous, even while speaking in a quiet voice. I was rather impressed. “Don’t monopolize Wulfe. I’m the one who invited him here!”

Lady Melitta gestured to him.

“Then by all means,” she said, “He’s yours.”

Lord Kilian twisted in his seat to face me, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. I found his undivided attention more than a little uncomfortable.

“Tell me, Wulfe,” he said, “How long have you been an Aura Master? And how did you become one?”

I spent a moment debating with myself on whether or not I should share this knowledge with Lord Kilian. I had no doubt that it would make its way back to the rest of House Ritter. Perhaps it would even reach the Empress’ ears. While I didn’t think they would be able to use it against me, there was always the chance that they could. However, Lord Kilian’s eagerness seemed to melt right through my reservations. In the end, I decided to answer his questions, though I would keep the details to the minimum.

“I’ve been an Aura Master for a little over a year at this point.” I said. “I crossed the threshold at the battle at Jagged Tooth Pass.”

Lord Kilian sucked in a breath when he heard this, while Lady Melitta gave me a sharp look.

“I heard about that.” The latter said. “They say it was one of the bloodiest battles in recent history. Most of the warriors who fought there died. Of those who survived, most of them fled. Only a few kept on fighting long enough for Knight Commander Kaltbrand to arrive with reinforcements.”

I nodded, remembering what it had been like, near the end of that battle. The smell of blood and demonic corruption that clogged my nostrils. The screams of the dying and the roars of demonic beasts that filled my ears. The bitter taste that coated my tongue. The despair and desperation that filled my heart.

“I was one of those few.” I said. “So was Sir Kane, my bodyguard.”

The Ritter siblings glanced at Sir Kane, who nodded.

“I see.” Lady Melitta said. “I went through something similar not too long ago.”

Hmm, that was interesting. Was this her way of telling me that she had also become an Aura Master? Given her confidence earlier, I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case.

“A Sand Nomad raiding party had burnt down several villages along the border a few months ago.” Lady Melitta continued. “I tracked them down with a squad of my family’s knights. However, they set a trap for us and killed all of my subordinates.” She clenched her first. “I was the only survivor.”

To the east, beyond the Grazelands, lay the Great Desert. It was a harsh and barren land that stretched as far as the eye could see, or so I’ve heard. The Sand Nomads were the native inhabitants of the Great Desert. I know they called themselves a different name, but I didn’t know what it was since I didn’t know much about them in general.

What I did know was that they were not a unified people. Instead, they were divided into several different tribes. Most of these tribes were friendly to the Reichwald Empire, and were even willing to trade with us. A few were indifferent, and had little to no contact with the empire. However, the rest were hostile and constantly raided the Reichwald Empire. House Ritter’s duties involved keeping this third group of Sand Nomads at bay.

“My condolences, Lady Melitta.” I said.

Lady Melitta nodded.

“Thank you, Lord Wulfe.” She said.

“Wait, wasn’t that when-” Lord Kilian started to say. However, Lady Melitta gave him a sharp look, cutting him off.

Lord Kilian looked panicked for a few seconds, before he scrambled to change the subject.

“What is Knight Commander Kaltbrand like, Lord Wulfe?” He ended up asking. “We’ve heard many stories about her, but we’ve never had the honor of meeting her ourselves.”

I grinned.

“She is everything that the stories say she is, and then some.” I said.

Lord Kilian gazed at me, his eyes filled with wonder. A few moments later, one of the combatants fighting in the arena defeated his opponent, and it was time for the next pair to spar with one another.

For the next hour, the three of us talked while we watched one pair of Aura users after another spar with each other. We commented on each of the bouts, pointing out the flaws and strengths of the combatants. While a few were like the first pair, focusing more on showing off rather than on fighting, the rest took the martial arts competition seriously. Not that this surprised me. House Ritter and its vassals were warriors, and raised their children as such.

In between each sparring match, Lord Kilian peppered me with questions about Mom, Dad, and the Barrens. From what I gathered, he was interested in visiting the north to hunt down some demonic beasts. I answered his questions as best I could, though I avoided giving away too many details.

The entire time I kept an eye out for any potential danger. When I first read Lord Kilian’s invitation, I thought it was a trap of some kind. However, as time passed and nothing happened, I questioned that assumption. Maybe I was wrong. Lord Kilian seemed like a decent enough fellow. Perhaps he had just wanted to make a connection with me.

Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was going to happen. While Lord Kilian seemed sincere and genuine, Lady Melitta was another matter. She had warmed up to me somewhat during the course of our conversation. However, I suspected that she was hiding something. Whatever was going to happen, it would involve her.

My prediction proved true when she stood up at the end of the hour.

“I’ve been sitting down for far too long.” Lady Melitta said. “I feel like stretching my legs.” She looked down at me with a smirk on her face. “Lord Wulfe, would you be my partner? As an Aura Master, I’m sure that I could learn a lot from sparring with you.”

Several of the other nobles gasped. When it came to martial arts competitions, Aura users sparred with those at the same power level as themselves. Challenging an opponent stronger than oneself was rare, though not unheard of. After all, one of the best ways to get better at something was to learn from someone more skilled than oneself.

Still, based on the expression she wore, I doubted Lady Melitta wanted to learn anything from me. Despite her words, it seemed as if she wanted to test herself against me. Once again, I wondered if she was an Aura Master hiding her true strength. The only way I would know was to accept her challenge.

“If you ask me like that, how could I refuse?” I said, standing up as well. “Lead the way, Lady Melitta.”

She nodded, before leading me to the arena. When we arrived, we took our positions. I wielded my coldsteel sword, while Lady Melitta wielded a mace. She handled it with ease and familiarity. My heart started to hammer in my chest and my excitement grew as my instincts told me that Lady Melitta was not an opponent to be underestimated. In that moment, I was certain that she was an Aura Master as well, even though she showed no explicit signs of it.

“Before we begin, Lady Melitta,” I said, as we took our stances, “I have one request.”

Lady Melitta raised an eyebrow and nodded for me to continue.

“Let us fight at our full strength,” I said. “Don’t hold back and pretend to be weaker than you are. We both deserve better than that.”

Lady Melitta studied me for several moments, before she grinned at me.

“I’m glad that you picked up on the clues, Lord Wulfe.” She said. “I found the idea of tricking you like this… distasteful.”

I narrowed my eyes at her.

“Then why did you even try it in the first place?” I asked.

Lady Melitta snorted.

“Defeat me, and I’ll tell you.”

I studied her for a moment, before I returned her grin.

“Very well,” I said, “I prefer it this way.”

I summoned my Aura, using it to coat my weapon and protect my body. The nobles watching us heckled and jeered. Not that I blamed them. In their eyes, I was bullying someone weaker than myself. However, they let out exclamations of shock when Lady Melitta’s mana signature became that of an Aura Master and she summoned her own Aura. It appeared that not even House Ritter’s vassals had known about her true strength.

Lady Melitta and I studied one another for a second, before we charged at one another. In less than a second, the two of us clashed. A screeching sound filled the air as our Auras collided. The two of us exchanged several blows, probing and testing one another.

It soon became clear to me that Lady Melitta was stronger than me. Not by a lot, but enough to make a difference. However, her mana reserves weren’t as deep as mine. In terms of endurance, I had the advantage. The longer this fight went on, the higher my chances of winning. Lady Melitta realized this as well, and pressed forward to finish the match as soon as possible. I made sure not to face her mace head on. If it hit me, I would feel it, even through my Aura.

As we fought, I realized how much of a joy it was to face another Aura Master at the same level as me. I didn’t know when Lady Melitta had crossed the threshold, but it hadn’t been for more than a few months. This made us relatively even. While I enjoyed training and sparring with Mom and Dad, the two of them had been Aura Masters for decades. There was little chance that I would defeat either of them in an even fight. With Lady Melitta, that wasn’t the case. The match could go either way, and I found that thrilling.

Lady Melitta attacked me with a strike from the right. I moved to dodge it. However, she surprised me when she stepped forward and jabbed at me with her fist. The blow itself caused no damage, but it distracted me long enough for her to bring her mace to bear. I didn’t have time to dodge, so I blocked her attack.

When her mace hit my sword, I felt it in my arms, even through my Aura. Lady Melitta pressed her advantage and continued to attack, putting me on the back foot. Despite this, I maintained my composure. As strong as Lady Melitta was, she wasn’t as strong at the Rank Four demonic beast that I faced when I inherited the coldfire.

In fact, unlike that fight, staying on the defense gave me the advantage. I didn’t need to outfight Lady Melitta, I just needed to outlast her. When she realized this as well, she increased the ferocity of her attacks and tried to batter through my defenses. However, I managed to either evade or parry her attacks, forcing her to expend her strength little by little. If Lady Melitta kept this up, she would exhaust herself. Aura Masters had incredible stamina, but even they had limits.

Lady Melitta eased off her attacks and narrowed her eyes at me.

“Fine,” she said, “If that’s how you want to play, then I shall oblige you. I didn’t want to resort to this, but you leave me no choice.”

Before I could figure out what she meant by that, Lady Melitta stomped her foot. The ground beneath me shook and my intuition screamed at me that I was in great danger. I leapt back, just as a stone spike erupted out of the ground where I had been standing. If I hadn’t moved when I had, it would have hit me right between the legs.

I hadn’t felt any mana surging when Lady Melitta summoned that stone spike out of the ground, so it wasn’t the result of magic. That meant it could only be one thing: divine power.